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Among other articles of the Modern Study of Raptors and Owls (Materials of ІІІ International Scientific Conference «Birds of prey of Ukraine», Kryvyi Rih, 24–25 October 2008) you can find the following:

• Письменный К.А., 2008 – Гнездование змееяда (Circaetus gallicus (Gm.) в Киевской области и проблемы его адаптации к хозяйственной деятельности человека [Breeding of the Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus (Gm.) in Kyiv Region /map/ and problems of its adaptation to human economic activity] // Новітні дослідження соколоподібних та сов. Матеріали ІІІ Міжнародної наукової конференції «Хижі птахи України», м. Кривий Ріг, 24−25 жовтня 2008 р. − Кривий Ріг: 307−311. (Ru).

Some data on spring arrival of Short-toed Eagles to Ukraine is available now on the map. The first dates are: 28^th and 29^th (in display flight) of March – observations of Sergey Domashevsky in Mizhrichynskyi Regional Landscape Park /map/ (Chernihiv Region); 4^th of April – observations of Konstantin Pismennyi (Kiev Region /map/, in display flight), Maxim Gavrilyuk and Nikolay Borisenko (Cherkasy Region). Also you can see the comparative data of the records in Bulgaria – observations of Dimitar Ragyov near Plovdiv.

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This is an adult Short-toed Eagle female. Numerous power lines pylons are situated in its hunting territory. From year to year they are used by both Short-toed Eagles of the pair as perches for hunt. The birds are not afraid of people much.

These photos were taken at a distance of 8 km from Kiev’s housing estates /map/ on August 24^th (© Konstantin Pismennyi).

Please take a look at the map of main survey area /map/. General description and photos can be viewed below:

The zone has principally horizontal landscape. Large mainly pine man-made forests with oaks, birches and other leafy trees. Many not big rivers and wetlands. Big pieces of water, such as the Dnieper River with the Kiev Reservoir and some of the Dnieper’s tributaries: the Desna and the Pripyat Rivers. Rivers floodplanes are traditionally used as pastures for cows mainly and as grasslands.
Species of the potential prey: Natrix natrix – the most numerous, apparently is staple food of Short-toed Eagle, also sporadical Vipera berus and extremely rare Coronella austriaca; some species of lizards: Anguis fragilis – common, Lacerta agilis – the most numerous.

Typical breeding territories: old thin dry parts of pine forests. Nests on pines, usually near the tops, sometimes in “witch’s broom”. There are a lot of cutover areas inside the forestlands. A range of known the nest situation heights: 13-33 m.

Typical hunting territories: large open areas situated close to various pieces of water, such as floodplanes of big and small rivers, grounds nearby marshes and drain channels – usual inhabitations of Grass Snake and lizards.

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This is just a little excursion through Short-toed Eagles’ nesting zones, hunting territories and other places and things, connected with them somehow in Kiev Region (central Ukraine) /map/. We would like to invite you to feel Short-toed Eagles’ world through these images.

See photos (© Sergey Domashevsky) made while ringing a young Short-toed Eagle in nest in Kiev Region (Central Ukraine) /map/ on July 27^th: